Shillong, Jan 5: BJP national vice president and Meghalaya Incharge Dr M Chuba Ao on Thursday said the party’s target is to get 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
After chairing a meeting to review the election preparation of the party in Meghalaya, Ao said, “Our target is to get 400 seats this time. Therefore, we will have to go everywhere where we did not get (last time), we will try our level best to reach them.”
Stating that the party’s progress report is very encouraging, he said, “We believe we will achieve it and it is our mission today.” Ao said there are some weak seats and some seats are regional centric but the party will try to improve (its performance in such seats).
“Last two elections we have seen it was not so much fruitful but this time we are going to do in such a way that people will understand what is going on in national level, how they give us facility and all these things so we will reach to the grassroot level this time,” he added.
The BJP leader said that the party will fight the LS polls on its own adding “we are not going to compromise with any other political parties. We will build up our strength, why should we give chance to others. Therefore, we have decided to fight on our own. There will be no seat sharing basis.”
To a question, Ao said that the BJP is quite strong from both Shillong and Tura parliament seats in Meghalaya.
“Actually, both are strong seats, only we could not channelize. We are also taking the responsibility that we could not reach the grassroot level,” he said.
Whether the party has decided on the candidates for the two seats, the Meghalaya Incharge said, “We will work first and after that this matter will be discussed with the state team and it will go to the national team then we will sit together with prime minister and home minister together then we will allot the ticket.”
He said that many people have approached the party for tickets but one has to be acceptable by the people.
Asked if the party would be fielding its Pynthorumkhrah legislator and cabinet minister AL Hek from Shillong constituency, Ao said, “I have seen in the media but I have not interacted with him so what is his opinion as we have to take the opinion and consideration of all the candidates as we cannot simply write in the paper, we need to interact one to one.”
He, however, maintained that the party will select candidates from among the members of the party.
“Women reservation is our agenda. We will see because the name is reservation for women candidates but if women are not accepted by their own constituency the problem will come because we are fighting to win that is why we have to select for the best,” he added.
